Fratti is already at large, while she can be soon fully rehabilitated

In Volgograd region, hearing of the 16-volume case of Italian citizen Nadezhda Fratti has started. Here are some details of the great case. Within several years of her activity, Nadezhda Fratti furthered illegal adoption and removal to Italy of more than 600 Volgograd children, while, of course, receiving a good brokerage. Many of that children were seriously ill, though not all of them had relatives in Russia. At first, this case was considered by investigators of Volgograd office of Federal Security Service. That were they, who, while using different operative methods of investigations, found out numerous facts of bribing by Nadezhda Fratty of different Volgograd functionaries – from boarding school directors to judges. Totally, 20 different functionaries of different level were examined in the framework of the case. Volgograd investigators even put forward a version that some of that children were removed to Italy, so to say, “for spare parts” and to different San Remo entertainment clubs for pedophiles. Though, now Volgograd public prosecutor’s office states that there are no direct proofs of it. It is not clear on what Fratti’s “work” was based, because even today nobody can trace in detail the fate of every single child. Italians sent two thick volumes of children’s cases, though it turned out that there was no translator from Italian in the public prosecutor’s office. He is being searched now for and will probably be found. While the trial of Fratti has been started already. At the moment, from the whole Fratti’s case several episodes were picked out, which became already subjects of the hearing. Now Fratti is being accused only of bribing and falsification of documents. The hearing will be closed, because it is connected with confidential information about adoption. In the most favourable for Fratti conditions, she could be released from criminal liability at all because of recent amnesty. Actually, she is in freedom, because she was released on the security of the sum equivalent to $ 10,000. Moreover, according to Fratti’s Moscow advocate, she has already spent in detention the maximum of what she can be now sentenced. Calling a spade a spade, Fratti is being now transformed from trafficker of human beings into an ordinary briber, who, for charitable purposes, lubricated creaking wheels of Russian bureaucratic machine. According to some Volgograd observers, Fratti closely co-operated with Arcabaleno international association and with its head Mrs Recota, so Fratti was completely indifferent to these charitable purposes as well as to the fate of every concrete child. Her task was to sent the unnecessary in Russia children abroad, dozens, hundreds of them, and if she had not been stopped in time, - thousands of them. It should be noticed, that Arcabalena association still functions. According to informed sources, it continues to work in the same direction. Moreover, the association keeps several orphan boarding schools in Russia. And there is no crime in this. Just good Italians help Russian children – thanks heavens! Though, there is one “but.” The fate of most of children, who were removed to Italy with Fratti’s assistance, is unknown. And it hardly can be learned, because the investigation of Fratti’s case has been finished, as the case is being heard in Volgograd court. One more serious question seems to remain unanswered. At the beginning of the investigation, Fratti stated she had bribed almost a dozen of Volgograd judges with money and in some other way. This was why, they passed the adoption documents practically without troubles. It was even so, that the judges approved adoption before official requests about it arrived. And it was especially often, that decision about adoption was taken in absence of the child’s future parents, just for Fratti’s word of honour. While only this is a serious violation of the law. Probably, namely these children cannot be found now. If the judges’ actions are considered as a malfeasance, it could be admitted that they should be on the same dock with Fratti. Yes, it happens sometimes, that judges are judged. But the whole group of 10 people – there was nothing of the kind even at the time of Stalin’s repression. Some observers state that namely this was the real reason, why Fratti’s case was completed in such way.

Andrei Cherkasov PRAVDA.Ru Volgograd

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/03/19/38449.html